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Mérida
Municipality
Roman TheatreTemple of DianaCo-CathedralAqueduct of the MiraclesBasílica de Santa EulaliaRoman BridgeLusitania Bridge
FlagCoat of arms
Location of Mérida
Coordinates: 38°54′N 6°20′W / 38.900°N 6.333°W / 38.900; -6.333
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Extremadura
Province	Badajoz
Founded	25 BC
Government
• Mayor	Antonio Rodríguez Osuna (2015) (PSOE)
Area
• Total	865.6 km (334.2 sq mi)
Elevation	217 m (712 ft)
Population
• Total	59,352
• Density	69/km (180/sq mi)
Demonym	Emeritenses
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	06800
Climate	Csa
Website	Official website

Mérida (Spanish: [ˈmeɾiða] ) is a city and municipality of Spain, part of the Province of Badajoz, and capital of the autonomous community of Extremadura. Located in the western-central part of the Iberian Peninsula at 217 metres above sea level, the city is crossed by the Guadiana and Albarregas rivers. The population was 60,119 in 2017.

History

Augusta Emerita was founded as a Roman colony in 25 BC under the order of the emperor Augustus to serve as a retreat for the veteran soldiers (emeritus) of the legions V Alaudae and X Gemina. The city, one of the most important in Roman Hispania, was endowed with all the comforts of a large Roman city and served as capital of the Roman province of Lusitania since its founding and as the capital of the entire Diocese of Hispania during the Fourth Century.

Following the invasion of Iberia in 409, by an alliance of tribes migrating from Central Europe – the Vandals, Alans and Suebi – Augusta Emerita became capital of the short-lived Kingdom of the Alans, under King Attaces. His premature death, in 418, in battle with the Visigoths, led to the area's absorption by the neighbouring Vandal state. In 469, Mérida was captured by the Visigoths and Mérida became an important city of the Gothic Kingdom.

In 713, the city was conquered by the Umayyad Caliphate, and remained under Muslim rule. The Mozarabic people of the island rebelled repeatedly against the Caliphate authorities in the 9th century and the city began a slow decline. After the Almohad rule, Mérida, that had acknowledged Ibn Hud against the former, was seized by Alfonso IX of León in 1230.

It is, together with Badajoz, ecclesiastically the metropolitan seat of the Archdiocese of Mérida-Badajoz. It became the capital of the autonomous community of Extremadura in 1983. The archeological site in the city has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.

The current Mayor (since 2015) is Antonio Rodríguez Osuna, from the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party.

Etymology

The place name of Mérida derives from the Latin Emerita, with a meaning of retired or veteran. It is part of the name that the city received after its foundation by the emperor Augustus in 25 BC, Augusta Emerita, colony in which veteran soldiers or emeritus settled.

History

Mérida has been populated since prehistoric times as demonstrated by a prestigious hoard of gold jewellery that was excavated from a girl's grave in 1870. Consisting of two penannular bracelets, an armlet and a chain of six spiral wire rings, it is now preserved at the British Museum. The town was founded in 25 BC, with the name of Emerita Augusta (meaning the veterans – discharged soldiers – of the army of Augustus, who founded the city; the name Mérida is an evolution of this) by order of Emperor Augustus, to protect a pass and a bridge over the Guadiana river. Emerita Augusta was one of the ends of the Vía de la Plata (Silver Way), a strategic Roman Route between the gold mines around Asturica Augusta and the most important Roman city in the Iberian Peninsula. The city became the capital of Lusitania province, and one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire. Mérida preserves more important ancient Roman monuments than any other city in Spain, including a triumphal arch and a theatre.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, during the Visigothic period, the city maintained much of its splendor, especially under the 6th-century domination of the bishops, when it was the capital of Hispania.

In 713 it was conquered by the Muslim army under Musa ibn Nusayr, and became the capital of the cora of Mérida; the Arabs re-used most of the old Roman buildings and expanded some, such as the Alcazaba. During the fitna of al-Andalus, Mérida fell in the newly established Taifa of Badajoz.

The city was brought under Christian rule in 1230, when it was conquered by Alfonso IX of León, and subsequently became the seat of the priory of San Marcos de León of the Order of Santiago. A period of recovery started for Mérida after the unification of the crowns of Aragon and Castile (15th century), thanks to the support of Alonso de Cárdenas, Grand Master of the Order.

In 1720, the city became the capital of the Intendencia of Mérida. It is on the Via de la Plata path of the Camino de Santiago as an alternative to the French Way.

During the 19th century, in the course of the Napoleonic invasion, numerous monuments of Mérida and of Extremadura were destroyed or damaged. Later the city became a railway hub and underwent massive industrialization.

On 10 August 1936, during the Spanish Civil War, in the Battle of Mérida the Nationalists gained control of the city.

Climate

Mérida has a Mediterranean climate with Atlantic influences (Köppen: Csa; Trewartha: Csak), due to the proximity of the Portuguese coast. The winters are mild, with minimum temperature rarely below 0 °C (32 °F), and summers are hot with maximum temperatures occasionally exceeding 40 °C (104 °F).

Precipitation is normally between 300 and 400 mm (11.8 and 15.7 in) annually. The months with most rainfall are November and December. Summers are dry, and in Mérida, as in the rest of southern Spain, cycles of drought are common, ranging in duration from 2 to 5 years.

In autumn the climate is more changeable than in the rest of the year. Storms occur with some frequency, but the weather is often dry.

Both humidity and winds are low. However, there is frequent fog, especially in the central months of autumn and winter.

Annual Events

Emerita Lvdica

Each year the city holds a week-long event to celebrate the Roman history of the area. The "games" (lvdica) include scheduled events throughout the city during the day and into Mérida's comfortable evenings. They include parades, brightly-costumed attendees, fiercely-armored gladiators, mock battles in the ancient amphitheater, plus some simulation of the daily life in that period. The schedule is roughly the last week of May until the first weekend in June and should be checked in advance by visiting the city's schedule of events page.

Culture

Main sights

Among the remaining Roman monuments are:

The Puente Romano, a bridge over the Guadiana River that is still used by pedestrians, and the longest of all existing Roman bridges. Annexed is a fortification (the Alcazaba), built by the Muslim emir Abd ar-Rahman II in 835 on the Roman walls and Roman-Visigothic edifices in the area. The court houses Roman mosaics, while underground is a Visigothic cistern.

• remains of the Forum, including the Temple of Diana, and of the Roman Provincial Forum, including the so-called Arch of Trajan
• remains of the Circus Maximus (1st century BC), one of the best preserved Roman circus buildings

• Acueducto de los Milagros (aqueduct of Miracles)
• patrician villa called the Villa Mitreo, with precious mosaic pavements
• Proserpina Dam and Cornalvo Dam, two Roman reservoirs still in use
• the Amphitheatre, and the Roman theatre, where a summer festival of Classical theatre is presented, usually with versions of Greco-Roman classics or modern plays set in ancient times.
• Morerías archaeological site
• National Museum of Roman Art designed by Rafael Moneo
• Church of Santa Eulalia, dating to the 4th century but rebuilt in the 13th century. Its portico reuses parts of an ancient temple of Mars.

Other sights include:

• Cathedral of Saint Mary Major (13th-14th centuries)
• Renaissance Ayuntamiento (Town Hall)
• Church of Santa Clara (17th century)
• Gothic church of Nuestra Señora de la Antigua (15th-16th centuries)
• Baroque church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen (18th century)

Several notable buildings were built more recently, including the Escuela de la Administración Pública (Public Administration College), the Consejerías y Asamblea de Junta de Extremadura (councils and parliament of Extremadura), the Agencía de la Vivienda de Extremadura (Housing Agency of Extremadura), the Biblioteca del Estado (State Library), the Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones (auditorium), the Factoría de Ocio y Creación Joven (cultural and leisure center for youth), the Complejo Cultural Hernán Cortés (cultural centre), the Ciudad Deportiva (sports city), the Universidad de Mérida (Mérida University), the Confederación Hidrografica del Guadiana (Guadiana Hydrographic Confederation designed by Rafael Moneo), the Lusitania Bridge over the Guadiana River designed by Santiago Calatrava), the Palacio de Justicia (Justice Hall), etc.

Sport

Mérida AD is the principal football team of the city, founded in 2013 as a successor to Mérida UD, which itself was a successor to CP Mérida. The last of these teams played two seasons in Spain's top division, La Liga, in the late 1990s.

All three clubs played at the city's 14,600-capacity Estadio Romano. On 9 September 2009, it hosted the Spanish national team as they defeated Estonia 3–0 to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which they went on to win. Mayor of Mérida Ángel Calle said, "We want to use the Estonia match to promote Mérida and Extremadura, we will welcome the players as if they were 21st-century gladiators."

International relations

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Mérida is twinned with:

• Mérida, Mexico
• Mérida, Venezuela

See also

• Emerita Augusta, Roman buildings in Mérida
• Battle of Valverde (1385)

Gallery

• Mérida Letter Art
• Roman Amphitheater panorama
• Roman Amphitheater closer view
• Roman Amphitheater entrance arch
• Seating and entrances to Roman Amphitheater
• Roman Amphitheater from different angle
• Statue of Ceres in Roman Amphitheater
• Closeup of the statue of Ceres in the Roman Amphitheater
• Statues lining the Roman Theater
• Panorama of the Roman Amphitheater
• Details of mosaic tile pattern in the Roman Theater
• Detail of Roman Columns from the Roman Theater
• Cornerstone dedicating the Roman Amphitheater in 8 BC for use in gladiatorial contests and staged beast-hunts
• Temple of Diana
• Temple of Diana
• Roman Aqueduct
• Roman Bridge
• Roman Bridge in Merida
• Roman Bridge
• Ancient Hermitage
• Roman Bridge
• Late Romanesque Portal to Santa Eulalia Church
• Trajan's Arch
• Monument to Octavian Augustus, for whom Augusta Emerita was named
• Roman Christian Basilica
• Copy of the Roman Capitoline She-Wolf
• Entrances to the Arena
• Monument to Marcus Agrippa
• Spain Square, Mérida
• Chinese Palace
• Exterior of Merida Museum
• Roman ceramic canteen
• Patio of the Jesus of Nazareth Convent
• Equestrian Statue of Augustus Caesar
• Closeup of Equestrian Statue of Augustus Caesar
• Alcazaba (Cistern) Mérida
• Panorama of Merida's Alcazaba
• Plaza de la Constitución
• Mérida's Congress Palace
• Parador de Mérida
• Hotel Mérida Palace
• Dinosaur Museum

Notes

1. Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
2. British Museum Collection
3. Beevor, Antony. (2006). The Battle for Spain. The Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939. Penguin Books. London. p. 120
4. Meteorología, Agencia Estatal de. "Valores climatológicos normales - Agencia Estatal de Meteorología - AEMET. Gobierno de España". www.aemet.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-05-13.
5. "Weather station data". opendata.aemet.es (in Spanish). AEMET OpenData. Archived from the original on 2024-11-13. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
6. "Extremes". opendata.aemet.es (in Spanish). AEMET OpenData. Archived from the original on 2024-11-22. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
7. "Normals". opendata.aemet.es (in Spanish). AEMET OpenData. Archived from the original on 2024-11-22. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
8. "AEMET OpenData". AEMET. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
9. "Emerita Lvdica » Turismo Mérida". Turismo Mérida. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
10. O’Connor 1993, pp. 106–107
11. Rogers, Iain (10 September 2009). "Spain's '21st century gladiators' do Merida proud". Reuters. Archived from the original on 15 September 2009. Retrieved 24 January 2014.

Sources

• O’Connor, Colin (1993), Roman Bridges, Cambridge University Press, pp. 106–107, ISBN 0-521-39326-4

External links

• Official website
• Roman Art National Museum
• Pictures of Roman Mérida
• Photos of Mérida: Roman monuments and other views of the city

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Autonomous cities

v t e Municipalities in the province of Badajoz
Acedera Aceuchal Ahillones Alange Alburquerque Alconchel Alconera Aljucén Almendral Almendralejo Arroyo de San Serván Atalaya Azuaga Badajoz Barcarrota Baterno Benquerencia de la Serena Berlanga Bienvenida Bodonal de la Sierra Burguillos del Cerro Cabeza del Buey Cabeza la Vaca Calamonte Calera de León Calzadilla de los Barros Campanario Campillo de Llerena Capilla Carmonita Casas de Don Pedro Casas de Reina Castilblanco Castuera Cheles Cordobilla de Lácara Corte de Peleas Cristina Don Álvaro Don Benito El Carrascalejo Entrín Bajo Esparragalejo Esparragosa de Lares Esparragosa de la Serena Feria Fregenal de la Sierra Fuenlabrada de los Montes Fuente de Cantos Fuente del Arco Fuente del Maestre Fuentes de León Garbayuela Garlitos Granja de Torrehermosa Guadiana Guareña Helechosa de los Montes Herrera del Duque Higuera de Llerena Higuera de Vargas Higuera de la Serena Higuera la Real Hinojosa del Valle Hornachos Jerez de los Caballeros La Albuera La Codosera La Coronada La Garrovilla La Haba La Lapa La Morera La Nava de Santiago La Parra La Roca de la Sierra La Zarza Llera Llerena Lobón Los Santos de Maimona Magacela Maguilla Malcocinado Malpartida de la Serena Manchita Medellín Medina de las Torres Mengabril Mérida Mirandilla Monesterio Montemolín Monterrubio de la Serena Montijo Navalvillar de Pela Nogales Oliva de Mérida Oliva de la Frontera Olivenza Orellana de la Sierra Orellana la Vieja Palomas Peñalsordo Peraleda del Zaucejo Puebla de Alcocer Puebla de Obando Puebla de Sancho Pérez Puebla de la Calzada Puebla de la Reina Puebla del Maestre Puebla del Prior Pueblonuevo del Guadiana Quintana de la Serena Reina Rena Retamal de Llerena Ribera del Fresno Risco Salvaleón Salvatierra de los Barros San Pedro de Mérida San Vicente de Alcántara Sancti-Spíritus Santa Amalia Santa Marta Segura de León Siruela Solana de los Barros Talarrubias Talavera la Real Táliga Tamurejo Torre de Miguel Sesmero Torremayor Torremejía Trasierra Trujillanos Usagre Valdecaballeros Valdelacalzada Valdetorres Valencia de las Torres Valencia del Mombuey Valencia del Ventoso Valle de Matamoros Valle de Santa Ana Valle de la Serena Valverde de Burguillos Valverde de Leganés Valverde de Llerena Valverde de Mérida Villafranca de los Barros Villagarcía de la Torre Villagonzalo Villalba de los Barros Villanueva de la Serena Villanueva del Fresno Villar de Rena Villar del Rey Villarta de los Montes Zafra Zahínos Zalamea de la Serena Zarza-Capilla

• Mérida, Spain
• Municipalities in the Province of Badajoz
• Roman towns and cities in Spain
• 25 BC establishments
• 20s BC establishments in the Roman Empire
• 1st-century BC establishments in Spain
• 1st century BC in Hispania
• Establishments in Spain in the Roman era